The current wave of increased awareness by the public of the health risks associated with saturated animal fats and cholesterol has accelerated the demand for palatable low fat dairy products. As a result, attempts have been made to develop low fat systems with the mouthfeel of higher fat products.
Arndt, U.S. Pat. No. 3,843,828 discloses a simulated milk product comprising an isolated vegetable protein, whey, and hydrogenated vegetable oil.
Zeller, U.S. Pat. No. 4,631,196 describes a low cholesterol, low calorie, no fat dairy product wherein polydextrose is added to skim milk to provide sweetness and mouthfeel.
Bookwalter et al, U.S. Pat. No. 4,842,884 describes a formulated milk concentrate prepared using nonfat dry milk and vegetable oil, wherein the ratio of nonfat milk solids to water is such that no emulsifiers are required to emulsify the oil.
In addition to dairy products that are low in fat and cholesterol, there are also increasing demands for products fortified with vitamins and/or minerals. Research in the area of fortification of dairy products has concentrated on development of methods whereby the product can be enriched while maintaining its natural flavor and mouthfeel.
Toward this end, Nelson, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,701,329 describe a calcium and phosphate enriched fortified milk comprising calcium, tribasic calcium phosphate, carageenan and guar gum having acceptable mouthfeel and flavor. The combination of carageenan and guar gum maintain the suspension of the calcium thus permitting the production of a milk product having the taste and mouthfeel of unfortified milk.
Similarly, Karinen, U.S. Pat. No. 4,803,087 describes enrichment of milk by adding to raw milk, prior to cream separation, pasteurization and homogenization, an aqueous emulsion of edible oil, vitamins A and D, and an emulsifier comprising polyoxyethylene sorbitan monooleate and glycerol monooleate.
Despite the developments of the above substitute dairy products, there has not, as yet, been developed a method whereby a skim milk product can be produced that has the taste and mouthfeel of whole or 2% milk.